Method and device for wet treating laundry items

Abstract

An inline washing system to be formed from a tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ) which both rinses and removes water from the items of laundry. However, rinsing and simultaneously also water removal can also be performed in the downstream spin-dryer ( 18 ) or water-removal press. It has been found that the rinsing performance is better and fresh water can be saved on account of the invention. By virtue of the invention, it is possible to wash relatively small amounts of laundry using a tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ) in an economical manner. The tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ) can be designed to be shorter and also simpler if it is designed without a rinse zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, comprising:
 a) washing the items of laundry in a washing device, wherein the items of laundry are only washed in the washing device; 
 b) removing at least water in at least one downstream water-removal device; and 
 c) rinsing and removing water from the items of laundry in the at least one water-removal device, 
 
       wherein the water-removal device is at least one spin-dryer ( 18 ), and 
       wherein the washing device is a tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ). 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the items of laundry contain bound liquor from being washed and the items of laundry are transferred from the washing device to the at least one water-removal device substantially only with at least some of the bound liquor from being washed. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the items of laundry contain bound liquor from being washed and the items of laundry are separated at least from some of the bound liquor from being washed before being rinsed. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one batch of the items of laundry are transferred from the washing device directly to one of a plurality of the water-removal devices and one batch of the items of laundry are at least temporarily stored before being transferred to the respective water-removal device. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the items of laundry are subjected to only a prewashing operation and a main-washing operation in the washing device. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the items of laundry are transferred from the washing device directly to the at least one water-removal device. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the items of laundry are at least temporarily stored before being transferred to the at least one water-removal device. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ) has only a prewash treatment zone ( 15 ) and a downstream main-wash treatment zone ( 17 ). 
     
     
       9. A method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, comprising:
 a) washing the items of laundry in a washing operation in successive treatment zones of a tunnel-type washing machine ( 30 ), wherein the items of laundry are only washed in the washing machine, and wherein the items of laundry contain bound liquor from the washing step; 
 b) rinsing the items of laundry in a rinsing operation after the washing operation, the rinsing operation comprising the steps of:
 i) separating the items of laundry from at least some of the bound liquor; and then 
 ii) rinsing and removing water from the items of laundry in at least one water-removal device, wherein the at least one water removal device is at least one spin-dryer ( 18 ). 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the items of laundry are separated at least from some of the bound liquor from one of the successive treatment zones, before rinsing, with the separation being performed in another one of the successive treatment zones which serves for rinsing and/or water-removal purposes, wherein the bound liquor is from one of the successive treatment zones preceding the another one of the successive treatment zones which serves for rinsing and/or water-removal purposes. 
     
     
       11. A method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, comprising the steps of:
 a) washing the items of laundry in a tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ), wherein the items of laundry are only washed in the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ); 
 b) rinsing the items of laundry in at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) separate from the tunnel-type washing machine; and 
 c) removing at least water from the items of laundry when in the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ). 
 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the items of laundry contain bound liquor from being washed and the items of laundry are transferred from the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ) to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) substantially only with at least some of the bound liquor from being washed. 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the items of laundry are separated at least from some of the bound liquor from being washed before being rinsed. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein one batch of the items of laundry are transferred from the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ) directly to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) and one batch of the items of laundry are at least temporarily stored before being transferred to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ). 
     
     
       15. A method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, consisting essentially of the steps of:
 a) washing the items of laundry in a tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ), wherein the items of laundry are only washed in the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ); 
 b) rinsing the items of laundry in at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) separate from the tunnel-type washing machine; and 
 c) removing at least water from the items of laundry when in the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ). 
 
     
     
       16. The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the items of laundry contain bound liquor from being washed and the items of laundry are transferred from the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ) to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) substantially only with at least some of the bound liquor from being washed. 
     
     
       17. The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the items of laundry are separated at least from some of the bound liquor from being washed before being rinsed. 
     
     
       18. The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein one batch of the items of laundry are transferred from the tunnel-type washing machine ( 10 ,  30 ) directly to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ) and one batch of the items of laundry are at least temporarily stored before being transferred to the at least one spin dryer ( 18 ).